WALLINGFORD town councillors hope to solve the long-standing problems of parking and traffic congestion in Wantage Road by the back door.

Oxfordshire County Council has refused to put in parking restrictions of its own accord, despite local pressure.

But because of the housing redevelopment of the former Blue Mountains Old People's Home and the former children's home alongside, the county is imposing an 18-month parking ban on both sides of the road near the site.

Mayor Betty Atkins said: "It is good news, and we hope it can be made permanent when the temporary ban comes to an end."

She added: "We have been trying for nine years to get something done about that road and this looks as though it could be the lever."

On top of the 80-home development of the Blue Mountains site, there is an 80-home development on the former Station Road industrial site.

Between them, they will add at least 200 new vehicles to Wantage Road.

Town clerk Andrew Rogers said: "We have been promised a review of the parking and congestion situation in Wantage Road as soon as those two developments are completed.

"We are sure it must result in proper restrictions along what is the busiest road into and out of the town.

"At the moment, cars parked in the road narrow it to such a degree that there can't be any two-way traffic movement at the same time.

"It results in vehicles having to squeeze into gaps to let oncoming vehicles through and it is not a good situation."

The county council is also looking at putting a pedestrian crossing in Wantage Road near Fir Tree School as part of its Better Ways to School programme - a move welcomed by the school.

Local people will be consulted about the proposed crossing, which could be built between January and March next year if funds are available.

But one transport improvement stays unresolved.

Both the town council and Cholsey Parish Council want a cycleway linking the two communities.

The county council said the cost would be about £300,000 and it did not have the money, although the Blue Mountains redevelopment has given the project a £53,000 boost.

The council hopes to get more money from a deal over the planned development of the Fairmile Hospital site at Cholsey.

A county council spokesman said: "It is anticipated that this scheme will be held in abeyance until such time that further large schemes in the Cholsey/Wallingford area are granted planning approval."

The road on the new Blue Mountains development will be called simply Blue Mountains, decided the town council.